2. Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Gerolamo Umberto
Volta, was born Feb. 18, 1745, in Como Italy. He was raised
and educated in the public schools in Como.
3. In 1774 he became professor of physics at the Royal School in
Como. A year after becoming a professor, Alessandro invented the
electrophorus, a device that produced charges of static electricity.
4. While in Como, Alessandro also
studied chemistry. He
experimented by exploding
various gases, such as hydrogen.
He discovered that when
hydrogen and air in closed
containers were exploded there
was a reduction in volume
greater than the volume of
hydrogen burned. In order to
measure the changes in
volume, Alessandro made a glass
container called a
eudiometer, to explode the gases
inside. Using this eudiometer he
studied methane, and
distinguished it from hydrogen
by its different-colored
flame, its slower rate of
combustion, and the greater
volume of air and larger electric
spark required for detonation.
5. In 1779 Alessandro was appointed chair of
physics at the University of Pavia. In 1782 he
became a member of the French Academy of
Sciences. In 1791 he was elected a fellow of the
Royal Society of London, and in 1794, he was
awarded the coveted Copley Medal.
6. In 1786, Luigi Galvani – A fellow
Italian physicist- discovered that
the muscles in a frog's amputated
leg would twitch whenever an
electrical machine was
discharged near the leg. While
experimenting, Luigi found that
the frog's leg would twitch if he
put a copper hook on the nerve
ending and then pressed the hook
against an iron plate on which
the leg was placed. Luigi
concluded the twitch was
produced in the organism itself
and he called this new type of
electricity as "animal electricity.“
7. Alessandro heard of Luigi’s experiments, and decided to
test it for himself. Alessandro discovered that it wasn’t the
animal that generated the electricity, it was the 2 metals
that generated it. He started to experiment with the
results of bringing 2 dissimilar metals in contact with each
other. In 1794, Alessandro came to the conclusion that the
different metals generate the electricity. He called this
new type of electricity "metallic" or "contact" electricity.
8. Alessandro found that not only would two different metals in
contact produce a small electrical response, but metals in
contact with various types of fluids would also produce such
effects. The best results happened when two dissimilar metals
were held in contact and joined by a moist third body which
completed the circuit between them. This observation led
straight to the making of the electric battery.
9. Around 1800, Alessandro
invented the first battery
called a Voltaic Pile. The
Voltaic Pile consisted of discs
of copper and zinc separated
by discs of paper or
cardboard soaked in salt
water. Attached to the top
and bottom of the pile was a
copper wire. When Volta
closed the circuit, electricity
flowed through the pile.
10. Alessandro announced his
discovery to the public on
March 20, 1800. The
significance of Alessandro’s
invention was immediately
recognized. In 1801, he was
asked by Napoleon to come to
Paris. in honor of his work,
Alessandro was made a count.
In Paris, Alessandro gave
lectures to the national
institute of France about his
discoveries. He was given
many awards for his
discoveries, and he became a
very distinguished scientist.
11. Although Alessandro could’ve continued researching and
improving his battery, he spent the rest of his career
teaching at the University of Pavia. He eventually became
the director of philosophy at the university. In 1819 he
retired to his hometown in Como. He died on March 5,
1827. The electricity term “Volt” is named in honor of him.
A museum called “Tempio Voltiano” in Como Italy, is
dedicated To Alessandro.
